Jenson Button is targeting McLaren’s first podium of the season (Picture: Getty)

Jenson Button is determined McLaren will finish their worst season for 33 years on a high in the final F1 race of the year in Brazil this weekend.

The 2009 world champion is all too aware that McLaren haven’t gone through a whole season without a podium finish since 1980, something that will be repeated unless he or Sergio Perez finish in the top three on Sunday.

Fifth is the highest position either driver has achieved this season, yet a defiant Button insisted: ‘If everything goes to plan [in Brazil] we can get a very good result, and we should still hope for a podium.

‘I don’t think we’re far off the pace of any car apart from Red Bull, and maybe the Lotus of [Romain] Grosjean is a bit too far ahead. But with everyone else, if you have a good weekend then you can challenge, so we’ll see.

‘If we don’t get a podium then it is not going to change the way we go about our car next year but it would just be a nice way to end the season.

‘A good result, with both cars in the points, close to a podium would be good, but we have to aim for a podium.’

Jenson Button has finished no higher than fifth this season (Picture: Getty)

Button does also admit that much of his attention is already wandering towards 2014, which could well be seen as something of a watershed year for the Woking-based team after such a disappointing campaign this time round.

‘After the race in Brazil I fly straight to the UK to start work on next year’s car,’ Button added. ‘That’s the exciting part this year, and it will bring closure, so I’m looking forward to that.

‘I’ve already driven the car in the simulator and it’s very different. It’s going to be a long winter for all of us to get to grips with how the car is going to be.’